Cranberry-grader.



L. A. H AYDBN. GRANBERRY GRADBR.

PPLIOTION FILED AUG. 18, 1911. 1,021,3 1 1 Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

2 SHBETB-BHEET 1.

L. A. HAYDEN.

ORANBBRRY GBADER.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 1s, 1911.

1,021,341 1 Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

WITNESS E s:

l 'E TDR-.-

MQW' N UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oinniei'i.4

LOTHROP A. HAYDEN, F CARVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CRANBERCRY- GRADER.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoTHRor A. HAYDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Carver, in the county of Plymouth and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cranberry-Graders, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates toa new and improved device or apparatus forgrading cranberries as to size.

Although the device may be employed in connection with acranberry-separator, it is an independent and complete machine, and maybe used without connection with or relation to a separator, and maymoreover be utilized for grading any kind of berries in which grading bysize is desirable. The machine is particularly adapted however forgrading cranberries, which while passing through the device are dividedinto two sets, one containing cranberries above a certain thickness andthe other berries less than such thickness o-r diameter, the two setsbeing discharged in different manners and directions from the apparatus.

The nature of the invention is fully described below, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of myimproved cranberry-grader, and Fig'. 2 is a central longitudinal sectionof the same taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Reference numeral 1 represents the inclined rear wall, 2 thesubstantially vertical front wall, and 3 the end walls of a hopper intoand through which the berries are poured onto an inclined floor 4supported between the parallel side walls 5. The rear wall l extends tothe floor 4, and the lower edge of the front wall 2 is sutlicientlyabove the floor to provide a passage 6 for the berries. The front end ofthe floor is supported by a crosspiece 7 secured to the sides 5. 8represents a guard located between the walls and preferably pivotallysupported thereby at its front lower edge, its rear upper edge restingon the cross-bar 9 supported by the sides i5.

Supported by and between the sides 5 parallel with the cross-bar 7 isthe bar 10, and these two bars receive and support the downturned ends11 of the series of parallel rods or bars 12 which constitute the grateSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application tiled August 18, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

serial No. 644,809.

or screen (not new by itself considered) said rods 12 being at evendistance from each other. A discharge-chute 13 is secured to and extendsfrom the front lower end of the apparatus.

Mounted on a horizontal shaft 14 extending across the apparatus andsupported by the side walls 5 is a roll 15, and secured to this roll aretwo preferably rectangular aprons 16. Each apron is secured at 17 nextthe rear edge 18 to the roll, while its front edge is free to overlapthe rear edge of the other apron. These aprons are made of elasticmaterial, preferably rubber, and extending up from the face or outersurface of the aprons are numerous flexible lingers 19 arranged in rowsand preferably staggered, as shown, and adapted to extend between therods or bars 12 of the screen as the roll is rotated.

In practical operation, power being applied to the shaft by means of asuitable pulley 20, the roll.is rotated rearward, z'. e., in thedirection of the edges 18 of the aprons, and the cranberries to begraded are dropped into the hopper 1, 2, 3. They fall upon the inclinedfloor and are prevented from bounding over the shaft and aprons-or outof the machine by the guard or cover 8. The berries roll down the floor4 and through the mouth or passage 21 produced by the forward edges tothe converging parts 4 and 8, upon the screen 12 which is constantlyswept by the fingers 19 of the two aprons 16, which are held to theirwork by the spring of the material of which they are made. The berrieswhich are thicker or larger in diameter than the distance between thebars of the screen roll down the screen and are swept into the chute 13,and thus guided to a suitable receptacle. The berries whose diametersare less than the distance between the bars of the screen fall throughit into a suitable receptacle beneath. Thus the berries are dividedquickly and accurately into two grades, and the berries thus graded areconducted out of the apparatus at two points, viz., over the lower edgeand through the screen. Either grade of berries may be conducted orapplied to a separator of any suitable type, by any suitable means.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cranberry-grader, a screen comprising parallel bars or rods, aroll mounted above the screen, flexible aprons secured at one edge tothe roll and with their outer edges free, fingers extending from theouter surfaces of the aprons and operative between the bars or rods whenthe roll is rotated, and means for rotating the roll.

2. In a cranberry-grader, a screen comprising parallel bars or rods, aframe supporting the screen and provided with a discharge-openingbeneath, a roll mounted near the surface of the screen, flexible apronssecured at one edge to the roll and with their outer edges free, fingersintegral with the aprons and extending at substantially right angleswith the surface thereof and opera? t-ive between the bars or rods whenthe roll is rotated, and means for rotating the roll.

3. In a cranberry-grader, a screen comprising parallel bars or rods, aroll mounted above the screen, flexible aprons secured at one edge tothe roll and with their outer edges free, fingers extending from theouter surfaces of the aprons and operative between the bars or rods whenthe roll is rotated, means for conducting the berries to the aprons, aguard for preventing the berries from bounding over the screen oraprons, and means for rotating the roll.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOTHROP A. HAYDEN. Witnesses:

ROBERT A. CARROLL, GEORGE L. HATI-IAWAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

